Piano-action.



No. 690,784. Patented Ian. 7,1902.

L. N. SUPER.

PIANO ACTION.

- (Application filed June 19, 1901.)

(No man.)

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7 Evita X4 0M. @Zzf UNITED STATES LEWIS NELSON SUPER,

P TENT OFFICE.

or ennnrn, CANADA.

PIANO-ACTION.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 690,784, datedJanuary '7, 1902.

Application filed June 19,1901. $erial No. 65,169. (No modeli) To allwhom it rmty concern: I

Be it known that I, LEWIS NELSON Sornn, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Guelph, Province of Ontario, and Dominion ofCanada, have invented a certain new and useful Piano-Action, of whichthe followingis a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to piano-actions of the type known asupright-actions and the chief aim of this invention is to produce an.

upright-piano action having the solidity and durability of the ordinarystandard action together with all the rapid-repeating qualities of thegrand piano. In the general construction and arrangement of the parts ofthe action the usual lines are followed, with the exception that Iemploy an u'nclothed knuckle and a clothed jack, whereby greaterdurability and a more perfect and reliable adjustment areobtained,together with less cost than under the usual construction andarrangement.

With the above and otherobjects in view, the nature of which will appearmore fully as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described,illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is. a vertical sectional viewthrough a piano-action, showing the several parts thereof constructedand arranged in accordance with the present invention, illustrating theinitial position of the parts in full lines, and illustrating in dottedlines the position which the parts assume after a key has been fullydepressed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position the partsassume when the key is partially released, in which movement the jack isreseated in readiness for another stroke. Fig. 3 is a detailperspectiveview of the jack, hammer-butt, and contiguous parts, showing the meansfor reseating the jack.

Like numerals of reference denote like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

Referring to the drawings, '1 designates a key, 2 a whippen connectedtherewith, 3 the jack, 4 the regulating-button, 5 the knuckle, 6 thehammer-butt, 7 the back-check, and 8 the action-rail, the parts justenumerated being of the usual constructiomand assembled under theordinary arrangement of such parts.

In carrying out the present invention, I make use of an auxiliary orsupplemental rail 9, which is connected to the action-rail 8 and inreality forms a part or extension thereof. As a further means ofproducing the best results the knuckle 5 of the hammer-butt isunclothed, as clearly illustrated in the drawings, while the jack isclothed, as shown at 10, thus providing a more durable construction andone that remains in adjustmentbetter than under the ordinary arrangementand at the same time costs less to manufacture. The knuckle 5 is beveledat its outer lower corner, as shown, and is given such special shape inorder to securethe grand repeating movement. In combining the elementsreferred to I make use of a feather-spring 11 for the hammer and acoiledspring 12 under thejacktoe 13, and I further employ a jack-spring let,provided at one end with a coil'16 where the spring is fastened to thejack, while the upper or opposite end of the spring is bent to form ahook 17, with which is connected one end of a flexible loop orconnection 18, said connection passing through an opening 19 in the jackand being attached at its opposite or inner end to the'action-rail 8 orto the extension 9 thereof, which forms the supplemental or auxiliaryrail. mental rail or extension of the action-rail I place a strip ofsoft felt or similar material, preferably equal in length to thedistance between the brackets of the action, said strip of felt forminga cushion for all of the jacks, thereby doing away with the necessityfor employing a separate cushion on each hammerbutt. The advantagesarising from thisconstruction and arrangement are that the hammer isleft freer on its return movement from the string and several times theusual amount of wearing-surface is provided for the jack. Further, suchconstruction makes provision whereby the inner ends of all the keys maybe raised without moving the hammer-rail in order to get soft-pedaleffects. The'contact between the action and keys will be perfect, alsothe repeating effect, and there will be an entire absence of lostaction. Further, no special regulating is required when theparts On thesaid suppleare combined and regulated in the manner de scribed.

Various expedients have been devised embodying a spring between the jackand action-rail; but in every case they have been substituted for thetoe-spring and are undesirable in Working, for the reason that they werenot uniform in action or in the amount of force applied, being usedsimply because the form of the device would not admit of the employmentof the toe-spring. Such springs were not designed for the purpose ofattaining a true and reliable rapid-repeating effect, but simply to pullthe jack undertheknuckle when the position of the parts in theirmovements would allow the jack to slip home. The flexible loop orconnection of this .invention which extends between the jackspring andthe action-rail is for a distinctly different purpose, true repeatingneanslifting the hammer from any position it may reach when the key isreleased, so that the jack is instantly reseated. This desirableresnltis accomplished by the present invention in the mechanicallyshortest space of time.

The operation is asfollows: YVhen a key is struck,at whatever point thehammer comes to check when the key is raised suflicient to release theback-check the clothed end of the jack pressing against the smoothincline of the knuckle with the force of the jackspring through themedium of the loop or flexible connection to the action-rail andassisted by the toe-spring tips the hammer for- Ward, sliding at thesame time along the knuckle until itis reseated thereunder. This resultis accomplished before the jack is free from the regulating-button, andsaid jack is therefore ready for another stroke.

In view of the foregoing description it will therefore be seen that therapid repeating effect is secured without any radical departure from theordinary lines at present in vogue and increasing rather than impairingthe durability of the action while economizing in the cost ofproduction.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an upright-piano action, the combination with a hammer-butt, jack,and spring on the jack, of a flexible connection between the free end ofthe jack-spring and the action-rail, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

2. In an upright-piano action, the combination with a ham mer-butt,jack, and spring on the jack, of a flexible connection between the freeend of the spring and the action-rail, and a continuous jaek-cushionattached to the action-rail and extending between the action-brackets,substantially as described.

In an upright-piano action, the combination with a hammer-butt, anapertured jack, and a spring mounted on the jack, ofa supplemental railforming a part or extension of the action-rail, a continuous jackcushionattached to such supplemental rail or extension and extending betweenthe action-brackets, and a flexible connection be: tween the free end ofthe jack-spring and the action-rail extension.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS NELSON SOPER.

Witnesses:

WM. McAs'rocKER, HUGH llIcMILLAN.

